Financial services marketing tends to fall on the shoulders of the personal financial planners or advisors that help individuals with their personal financial situations. While marketing has some general strategies that service providers can employ and all types of businesses can use, financial service providers can cater or alter these strategies to reach their particular audience. Some of the best tips for financial services marketing start with identifying who the customers truly are so that strategies are employed that speak directly to the members of the overall group.
Financial service providers who think their services can benefit anyone may find themselves with failed marketing attempts. While the financial services may be for a varied market, it is impossible to effectively market the services to everyone. First, financial service providers need to narrow down their audience to a very specific group. It is much easier to properly market to a very narrowed down group of individuals. When the business marketing a product or service knows and can thoroughly describe each member of their audience, they know their prospects and clients well enough to create effective marketing messages.
For example, if an advisor offers his or her services to Baby Boomers, this is a very specific group. The financial services marketing messages and content would contain copy and information that this generation can relate to. This messaging would be different than that of young professionals who are just starting to get their retirement plan together, where Baby Boomers are either getting ready to retire or are already retired.
Another one of the best tips for financial services marketing is to reach large pools of the intended audience. In other words, financial advisors and service providers have to find out what their audience reads, watches on TV, likes to do in their spare time. Only when the provider connects these dots can they use marketing mediums that get in front of the individuals they are trying to reach.
A final tip for professionals with a need to employ financial services marketing is to find out how prospects and customers prefer to receive their financial information. For example, if the audience prefers email communications over direct mail, then the service provider can use the proper delivery. When the provider uses marketing techniques that coincide with customer preferences, it ensures the information is read. This also increases the chances that the prospect or customer will act.